Throttle-controlling device for internal-combustion engines.



E.P. ROBINSON. v THROTTLE CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR, INTERNAL QOMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 22, 1909.

Patented Oct. 1

. NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, GAS-ENGINE COMPANY, A- CORPORATION or MAINE.

'IHROT'IIJE- GONTRQLLING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES. 2

Speoification of Letters Patent. .Patented Oct; 1, 1912.

I A plication filed Mai-ch22, 1909. Serial No. 485,041.

To all whom itmwynoncem':

, Be it known that I, Enwnnu P. RoBINsoN,

a'citizen of the United States, residing in Maiden, in the county of Middles'ex and State of Massachusetts, have' invented an Improvement in Throttle-Controlling De-v vices for Internal-Combustion"Engines, of which the following description, connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to a throt r t-le controlling device for internal combustion engines employing electric ignition, the purpose'of the invention being to connect a supplemental throttle-controllingmember with the switch which opens and closes the ignition circuit, so that when the switch is opened to stop 'the engine the throttle will be automatically set in a favorable position to speed up the engine just prior to the breaking of the circuit, thus causing the englue to make several revolutions underits own momentum. The purpose of this is to clear the cylinders thoroughly of the prod-; nets of combustion, and to charge the active cylinders with fresh explosive mixture, so

that the engine can be easily started on the spark when the ignition circuit is again closed. The same supplemental member is further arranged to operate'in the closing movement of the switch to move the throttle to Sucha position as'is most favorable for starting the-engine, the device being pro vided with means for adjustment, so that any.,,p,osition of the throttle. which may found best maybe obtained. It is sometimesdesirableto provide means for movinggthe throttle to another position, that is to Say, partially to close the "same after ignition has ceased and the engine is running bymo-x mentum, since, under some circumstances,

' the cylinders" will become'rcharg ed with a richer mixture if the throttle 'has becomepartially closed during the rotation "of 3 the engine by'momentum.

The device is so arranged as-to become it has performed its functions sol-that it does' not interfere-in any-way with the-cdhtrol of 'vice may be connected, in the case of a reversing orjselfstarting engine, with the operating lever which is utilized to 'stopand startthe engine and at the same time to perform the necessary functions'to secure the starting of the engineineither direction. In illustrating the invention, however, I have shown the device in its simplest form,- indicating only the movable throttle controlicombined with the supplemental throttle controlling member and'an' actuating handleconnected therewith, and also arranged to close. and open 'the electric circuit and start and stop the engine.

embodying the invention showing the parts n the position in which they are placed 'while t-he'engine is running; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in the position in which they stand after the engine has been stopped; and Fig. tis a section taken on .line 'wof Fig. 2.

Thefmain -throttle-controlling member is herein shown as a longitudinally movable rod orbar a adapted to be connected in any suitable way with the throttle valve, the said bar being arranged to slide in supporting, guides b mounted ;on a Thesaid bar is arranged to be operated by meansofa handle 0 shown as pivoted at 0 on-the base If, and connected at 0 with the end of'the slide a. .This handle'will be hereinafter'referredto as the service handle. In "the" position shownin Figs. 1. and Q, the sai'd slide a' is free to rnovebaek and forth .for the purpose of-controllingthe engine when running, the control being. in response to the movement of the service handle 0. The-ignition circuit, which is-iindicated' by theconductors 1 .and' 2, is controlledby a switch having stationary contacts d and al with the supplemem,

tary throttle'controlling device e'which,-in' wholly disconnected from the-throttle after 1: the construction shown, consists-of a slide 'ounted on a guide-support on the base If, q'filpwthe slide' ligand movablein" a direction the-engine by the tlirottle when running,

' to the-direction of movement of The supplemental throttle controlling deling member and its actuating handle, as

Figure'l is a perspective view of a device base or support 6 Y *an-da traveling brid 'lg contact'e which I S-ShOWII aS-"COIIIIB'CM tion opposite to that of the cam surface said slide a. The slide e is arranged to be actuated by means of a lever pivoted to the base If at f and connected with the slide 6 by means of a link f Said lever f is provided with a handle, and will be hereinafter referred to as the starting lever. In stopping the engine, the starting lever f is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, and-in such movement the traveling contact 0 is carried out of engagement with the contacts 61 and bi thereby breaking the ignition circuit. As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the circuit is not immediately .broken, but requires a certain amount of movement of the starting lever f, and this preliminary movement is utilized through the agency of the supplemental actuatin g member or slide a to move the throttle to a wide-open position, regardless of the position in which it may have been standing at the time when the engine was running For this purpose, the slide 6 1s provided with an inclined cam surface e which is adapted, in the movement of, the slide c, to engage a pin (1 or other suitable engaging portion or projection connected with the slide a The projectionr/ is yieldingly supported so thatat the end of the desired movement, the said pin will ride up an inclined surface 6, against which is guided by means of a shoulder 6 until it lies upon the surface of the slide 0 which, thereforc, afi'ords no resistance to a subsequent movement of the slide a.

.T he movement of the parts is such that the pin a 'will reach the end of the-cam surface 0 just before the contact 0 leaves the contacts (Z and dflso that the throttle will be wide open before the ignition has ceased, thus giving the cylinders a full charge, and causing the engine to speedup before ignition ceases. This will cause the engine to' make several revolutions by momentum, after ignition has ceased, this insuringa full charge of gas in the active cylinders bythe time the parts have come to restfi" It is desirable, in some'cases, to throttle the intake more or less during the charging of the cylinders, as, under some conditions, this causes a richer mixture to be drawn into the cylinders; andv for this pure pose the-slide -a may be provided with a second cam surface a inclined in the direc and terminating in an upwardly surfacec adjacent to. a shoulder; continued movement of'the' slide surface 0 will engage the secoiidpinw, and I will cause the slide a. to move iii th'e'opposite' direction, thereby partially 1" closing the throttle prior engine. r I In order to move the throttle to'the 'most favorable degree of opening for the first which, when the engine is running, rests upon the top of the slide 6, the said pin, however, dropping to the surface of the base 6 at the end of the movement of the lever f which stops the engine. This pin a is acted upon in the starting movement of the slide 0 by means of the cam surfaces 6 and e so as to move the slide a in either direction to the position required for the best position of the throttle valve for the starting operation. This operation is completed prior to the closing of the electric circuit, so that the throttleis moved to the desired starting position regardless of any position in which it may have been placed by the service handle while the engine was standing idle. The pin (1 remains on the surface of the slide e during the running of the engine, while the pinsa and a rest upon the surface of the base 72 so that there is nothing in the path of the said pins to pre vent the free manipulation of the throttle, while the engine is running, by means of the service handle 0.

In the construction shown, the pins 01 a and a are adjustable in position with relation to the slide a, so that any extent of movement desired in response to the engage ment of the correspondingcam surface with any of said pins may be obtained. The pins are shown as contained in sockets a 41 and a, each of which contains a spiral spring corresponding to the spring a shown in connection with the pin a Fig. 4. The socket members are externally threaded and provided below with shoulders and above with thumb nuts, so that they may be clamped in a slot a formed in the member a, being, therefore, longitudinally adjustable with relation to said member. As previously stated, the use of the pin a is not essential to the operation, the secondary movement of the throttle, however, being gs'o'metime's desirable. Should it be best to dispense with this movement, however, the -.pin a can be removed, or adjusted to such position that it'will be opposite the in ,clined surface 6 when the pina is opposite the inclined surface e, so that the movement of the slide 0 will hai e no effect upon-the pin a so far as relates to producing a-lateral movement thereof. The pin a should be adjusted so that when it lies opposite the inclined surface 6 thethrottle will be in the best. position for starting the engine.

The operation of the device may be debroken at c and cl, (2, sothat ignition ceases;

scribed as follows: Assuming the engine to be running and the starting lever f in the position shown. in Fig. l, the engine is.

stopped, by moving the said starting lever f in the right direction to break the circuit, which movement causes the cam surface 6 to engage the pin-a regardless of the position of the slide a. This produces the necessary' longitudinal movement of the slide a, and no further movement thereof will take place unless the pin a is adjusted to be in such position as to engage the cam surface 6". Just after the slide a has completed the movement due to the engagement of the pin a" with the cam surface 6 the circuit is the heavy charge admitted the wide opening of the throttle having previously been ignited in one or. more cylindersto give the engine a quick impulse, In the continued movement of the starting lever 7", the

pin a drops oil? the slide e and lies in the iath of the cam surfaces 6 and 6 as shown the manipulation of the service handle 0 while the engine was standing still, and the ignition circuit isnot closed until the throttle is adjusted to the most favorable position for starting the engine.

It is to be understood that the term starting device, as used in the specification and claims, is intended to imply any device utilized independently of the controlling device or devices employed to regulate the en gine when running, regardless'o-f the function of said controlling device or devices. In other words, the term starting lever has been used for convenience to mean any device which is employed in the starting, stopping, or reversing of the engine, as distinguished from the service device or devices employed in the control 'of the engine when running.

Claims.

1. A throttle controlling device for internal combustion engines, consisting of a traveling member; a starting device adapted to codperate with said traveling member; means for operating the ignition mechar nism, said means also being operated by said traveling member; and means whereby the throttle is acted upon by said traveling member and moved thereby to a predetermined position duringthat movement of,

said traveling member which finally causes the ignition. mechanism to operate.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the throttle provided with an actuating member having a service handle; of a switch controlling the ignition, said switch having stationary and movable members; an auxiliary throttle controlling device connected with the movable: member of said switch; and means whereby the movement of said auxiliary throttle controlling device in either direction is arranged to move the throttle to a definite predetermined position, substantially as described:

3. The combination with-the throttle controlling member provided with engaging projections; of a transversely movable memher having inclined surfaces toenga-ge said projections and thereby to move the throttle controlling member in one direction or the other; and means for controlling the igniing member. i

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination witha starting device adapted to control the ignition; ofa starting means operated by said starting device for moving thethrottle to a definite predetermined p.osition; and means whereby said throttle is released and left free for independent operation while the engine is running.

5. The combination with ignition devices; of means for controlling the operation of said ignition devices; a starting lever cooperating with said controlling means; .a

throttle; and means for connecting said starting lever with the throttle, whereby the throttle is under the control of said starting lever during the movement thereof which starts or stops the engine. 1

6. The combination with an ignition controlling device; of a throttle controlling device; connecting mechanism whereby said devices are caused to coiiperate instarting or stopping the engine; and means for disconnecting said parts when the engine is running whereby the throttle can be independently controlled.

' 7. The combination with a throttle controlling device; of a service handle;,a start ing lever; means for connecting said throtthe-controlling device with said starting lever, whereby a movment of said starting lever in either direction iscapable of imparting a movement to the throttle controlling device; and means for disconnecting said throttle controlling device from. said starting lever when the engine 1s running to permit the throttle to be controlled by the service handle.

S. The combination with an ignition con trolling device; of an automai-"Zc throttle controlling device; connecting mechanism wherebysaid devices are caused to cooperatein starting cit-stopping the engine; and an independent service throttle controlling de-' vice.

9. The combination with means for contion also carri d by said transversely movtrolling the ignition in an internal c'ombus- In testimony whereof, I have signed my tion engine; of an actuator for said means; name to this specification in the presence of a throttle controlling device connected With two subscribin Witnesses.

said actuator; and means for disconnecting E WVARD P. ROBINSON.

said throttle from said throttle controlling Witnesses:

device whereby can be operated inde- JAs. J. MALONEY,

'pendently thereof v i v i M. E. CovENEY..

(cpisc of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

WashingtomD. C. 

